Embassy urges Nepalis who want to return home to update personal details

LONDON: The Embassy of Nepal here has urged Nepali citizens who have been compelled to return to Nepal to update their information details.

In a notice on Monday, the Embassy stated that this provision has been made for the Nepali citizens who are in a compelling situation to return to Nepal.

It may be noted that the Government of Nepal (Council of Ministers), through its decision on May 25, issued the order related to facilitating the return of Nepali citizens to their country owing to the adverse situation caused by COVID-19 pandemic.

The Embassy also stated that arrangements were being made for the repatriation of Nepali citizens in Great Britain, Ireland and Malta who have not been able to return home due to the lockdown imposed in response to COVID-19 and who needed to return to Nepal urgently, on a priority basis.

Nepalis in these countries have been urged to provide their name, passport number, current address, permanent address, the address where they intend to go after returning to Nepal, contact number in Nepal, reasons for returning to Nepal and e-mail address. They have also been requested to mention whether they will be living in the hotel quarantine determined by the government on their own cost or in quarantine managed by the local level after returning to Nepal.

The Nepali citizens here have been urged to provide these details through the embassy's Facebook page, Twitter or e-mail within five days. The Embassy has also received the details of Nepalis -- who want to return home -- collected by the Non-Resident Nepalis Association (NRNA) Britain.

The embassy informed that those who want to return to Nepal have to carry the COVID-19 clearance medical test (PCR/RDT and others) certificate before embarking for the flight and they themselves have to manage that.

Likewise, those returning to Nepal have to bear the air-fare, transportation expenses, and the expenses for hotel and quarantines themselves. It has been stated that after they reach the airport in Nepal, each passenger would be taken to the 'holding centre' located near Ring Road in Kathmandu where they will have to fulfill the required process before they are transferred to the quarantines in their respective districts.

The returnees should mandatorily stay in local quarantine or hotel quarantine for 14 days initially before moving to home quarantine for seven days after undergoing health check-up as determined by the Ministry of Health and Population. Each and every person returning to Nepal should follow the set safety standards.

The Embassy said, further information regarding airlines and flight schedule would be provided later.